Parkland students turned away from meeting Florida lawmakers

Some students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were turned away Wednesday from meetings with the Florida Sen...

Posted: Feb. 21, 2018 9:29 AM

Updated: Feb. 21, 2018 5:33 PM

Some students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were turned away Wednesday from meetings with the Florida Senate president and other political representatives at the state Capitol in Tallahassee.

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"Appointment only," the students were told.

Senate President Joe Negron separately met with a larger group of students earlier Wednesday, he said in a tweet.

The students who sought a separate meeting in his office were holding signs saying, "Arms are for hugging," "Parkland Strong" and "No NRA Money."

The group of five teenagers said they have been visiting offices at the Capitol hoping to speak with political leaders and representatives. But they've been turned away by about six legislators, including an aide to Negron, and were becoming frustrated by the many closed doors.

"We've been heard by other people, but the people here who make the laws aren't really listening," said Agu Felman, 16, a junior at Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Florida, where a gunman killed 17 people in a mass shooting February 14.

About 100 students who survived last week's massacre boarded buses and traveled from the Fort Lauderdale area to Tallahassee on Tuesday to push for changes they say could help prevent the next school shooting.

"If you're not with us, you're against us, and you're against saving the lives of innocent children," Chris Grady, a 19-year-old student, said Tuesday. "And we're going to be voting you out."

UPDATE: This story has been updated to reflect that Negron did meet with a separate group of students earlier in the day.